Yet in Green Bay, general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy are now entering their ninth season together. And it appears they'll be together for several more years, too.

After Thompson's contract extension this week, McCarthy is likely next.

On Thursday, he didn't sound concerned about getting a deal done.

"To me," McCarthy said, "everybody that works here has a business part of their place here. That's just part of it. I'm focused on training camp; there's a process in place that will take its course. I've never sweated it. I love it here. I'm not worried about it."

McCarthy has had three contracts in Green Bay. Soon after the Packers won the Super Bowl in 2010, the coach inked a five-year deal averaging about $6.5 million. Green Bay and New England are the only two teams to make the post-season in each of the last five years, as McCarthy has a record of 88-50-1 (.637 winning percentage) with a 6-5 record in the playoffs.

After Thursday's practice, McCarthy said he is "very happy" for Thompson, adding that the two share a healthy working relationship.

"Very good, very good," McCarthy said. "Consistent, fluid.... It doesn't seem like we're going on nine years, frankly. It's kind of gone fast. I think we have a very good relationship."

If Thompson hadn't been re-signed, McCarthy's future might have been uncertain.

Instead, President Mark Murphy and the Packers struck a multiyear deal with Thompson, and it doesn't sound like McCarthy will be too far behind.

Despite Thompson's age (61), McCarthy wasn't worried about his future in Green Bay.

Gillett was cut from Packers camp last summer and then spent the final nine weeks on the team's practice squad.

This summer, Gillett said he is finally feeling like a wide receiver. A three-year quarterback at Eastern Michigan, Gillett switched to wide receiver midway through his senior season and caught 14 passes for 132 yards with one touchdown.

"Last year in training camp, I felt like I had that quarterback in me," he said. "But now I've gotten more reps, and more into it, I'm more comfortable out there."

Growing up — through Pop Warner, high school, college — he had always been a quarterback. In switching it up, Gillett admits he did have to swallow his pride.

At least now, after Thursday's deep ball, he's on the NFL radar.

"It's a new challenge," Gillett said, "it's a new thing for me to get better at. It's working out."

Cover shot: Eddie Lacy didn't have much of a reaction to seeing himself on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

"I just walked in and saw I was on the cover," Lacy said. "I said, 'That's pretty cool.'"

Lacy's star has been rising with several reporters from out of town visiting Green Bay to speak to the rookie of the year. But while he graced the cover of SI's fantasy football-themed issue, Lacy won't be drafting himself anytime soon.